1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rain gutters. More specifically, the present invention pertains to an inline rotating rain gutter.
A rain gutter, which is also known as an eavestrough, or eaves channel guttering, comprises a narrow, elongated channel that is often trough shaped, and forms a component of a roof system. A rain gutter is designed to collect and divert rainwater that would otherwise fall off the edge of a roof. Its purpose is to protect the foundation of a building by channeling water away from its base, which prevents water from pooling and weakening the building's foundation. Additionally, rain gutters can help reduce erosion, prevent leaks in basements and crawlspaces, reduce the effect of water on painted surfaces, and further provide a means of collecting rainwater for other uses.
Conventional rain gutters include a pair of sidewalls, a bottom, and an open top, and are used for channeling water towards a downspout. The open top, however, allows rain gutters to collect debris such as pine needles and fallen leaves. Over time, the buildup of leaves and other debris within the gutters can lead to problems with the flow of rainwater therethrough. If the gutters are allowed to clog and water is prevented from being channeled away from the building, several types of problems can develop. For example, water can overflow down the side of the building and into the foundation, leading to cracks in the walls, and leaks. This is particularly problematic in locations were the ground constantly freezes and thaws, which can lead to severe foundation problems. In addition to foundation problems, clogged rain gutters can lead to the growth of mold within the gutters, which can be harmful to the residents of the building that the gutters are installed thereon. Water can also flow over the sides of the gutters and down the building walls, which can cause wood siding to bow or become covered with mold. Finally, excess water that is not properly channeled away can damage sidewalks, driveways, and interior floors.
To prevent such problems from occurring, regular cleaning of rain gutters is essential. In some locations, particularly those surrounded by trees, gutters should be cleaned three to four times a year. At a minimum, rain gutters should be cleaned annually. This normally takes place at the end of autumn, when the leaves have fallen off of most trees. Homeowners typically wait until the fall because any leaves left in the system may prevent water and snow from properly draining during the winter and spring, where the added weight from the snow may cause the gutter to break away from the house and fall to the ground. In addition to snow, conventional gutters that are clogged can accumulate ice during the winter in the form of icicles, which may eventually fall and injure a person below. To prevent such problems, the present invention provides a means for quickly and easily clean rain gutters, thereby preventing leaves, debris, snow and ice from accumulating therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently, a common way to clean rain gutters is with a ladder. A user will place a ladder near the rain gutter, climb to the top, and scoop out the loose debris with a narrow garden trowel. The user then has to blast out the remaining debris with a high pressure water nozzle attached to the end of a hose. Finally, the drainpipes must be cleared of any debris that has accumulated therein. This process takes a considerable amount of time, and requires a person to balance on a ladder while using both hands to clean. This is a particularly difficult task when it involves cleaning gutters on the second or third story of a building, where the user is a considerable distance from the ground. An extension ladder must be used, which can be a difficult task for the average person.
Several devices have been disclosed in the prior art that attempt to simplify the process of cleaning rain gutters by utilizing a means of rotating the gutter for cleaning. Many of these devices utilize a mounting bracket with a hinge and a clip. The hinge allows the gutters to be rotated in a circular arc. Faye, U.S. Pat. No. 4,413,449 discloses a rain gutter wherein the gutters may be mechanically inverted to permit any debris therein to fall out. The system utilizes a series of hinged mounting brackets that are horizontally spaced along the length of the gutters. One bracket includes an electric motor positioned below the bracket, a drive mechanism attached to the spindle of the motor, and a pivotable upper harness member attached to the mounting bracket. This device, however, utilizes a bracket with a hinge, and an arm that attaches to the motor. The arm acts as a lever, allowing the gutter to pivot in a circular arc about the hinge, which causes the section of the rain gutters closest to the building to pivot up and over the attachment point of the hinge. This motion can cause a twisting of the rain gutter sections that are furthest from the motor attachment point, which is particularly problematic during the times of the year when the gutters are filled with ice and snow. The added weight of the ice and snow can cause the gutters to deform and become damaged. The design of the present invention, however, permits the entire rain gutter to rotate inline, thereby preventing twisting or deformation.
Other inventions in the prior art disclose a rotating gutter that requires the use of an extended handle with an attachment on the end thereof for detachment of a bracket that holds the gutters in a working position. Wyatt, U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,232 discloses a rain gutter support that enables pivoting of the rain gutters with the application of force by a hand held tool at ground level. This device utilizes a tab that requires an extended handle to release, which can be difficult to maneuver into position from the ground. Additionally, if the tab is not properly secured once the gutters have be rotated for cleaning, the weight of the rain, snow, or ice may cause the gutters to inadvertently release from its locked position, possibly causing damage thereto. The present invention, however, utilizes a system that ensures the gutters return to a locked position when cleaning is completed. When the motor is not in use, the gutters are locked in position, and are unable to rotate.
In addition to the '449 patent, Faye. U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,792 discloses a hinged bracket assembly that enables the gutters to be inverted in order to facilitate the cleaning and servicing thereof. Similarly, Faye, U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,657 discloses a hinged support bracket for a drain trough that includes a harness member which rests above a bracket member. Both harness and bracket members are joined by a hinge mechanism at their forward extremities. The '792 and the '657 patents both utilize a hinged support bracket with an attachment point at the front of the rain gutter, which permits the gutter to be forwardly rotated in a circular arc, thereby causing the inversion of the gutters. These devices are held in position with a clip that rotates in a circular arc, and does not include a motorized pivoting means. Additionally, these prior art devices require the use of an extended handle with an attachment on the end thereof for detachment of the bracket that holds the gutters in a working position. This requires reaching overhead with the extended handle, and positioning the handle in order to release the bracket. The present invention, however, does not require a clip to maintain the gutters in a working position, and prevents the need for an extended handle by utilizing a motor in order to rotate the gutters.
Le Febvre, U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,121 discloses a support system that enables a rain gutter to be inverted with a bracket attachable to a building. The gutter can pivot about the front end of the link to an inverted position by use of a support arm that extends outwardly from the building and attaches underneath the gutter. This system, however, attaches at the front end of the rain gutters, and causes the gutter to rotate counterclockwise, with the section of the gutters closest to the building pivoting down and away from the building. The present invention, however, allows for an inline rotation of the gutters, and does not require the use of a hinge for rotation.
Wittig, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,190 discloses a rain gutter mounting bracket which is L-shaped, and has a vertical mounting leg and a horizontal projecting arm united to the mounting leg and extending in a spaced relationship underneath the overhang of the roof. A lock pin is employed for locking the L-shaped bracket in position in order to hold the gutter in either an operable or inoperable position. This device, however, requires attachment under the overhang of the building, and requires drilling mounting to the face of the building, where there may be siding. The present invention attaches to the fascia of the building, in the location where a conventional rain gutter would normally be attached, and does not require drilling mounting to the face of the building.
The devices disclosed in the prior art involve rotating a rain gutter in order to remove the debris contained therein. The means by which the devices in the prior art achieve this is with a hinge that allows the gutters to pivot in a circular arc about the hinge. This makes the gutters susceptible to damage when being rotated with a large amount of weight therein, such as when the gutters are filled with ice and snow. The added weight can cause the gutters to twist and deform. The present invention overcomes the limitations inherent in the devices disclosed in the prior art with a design that enables the entire gutter to rotate inline, thereby preventing the need for a hinge or pivot. This allows for rotation of the gutter with an even amount of pressure across the entire length thereof, regardless of the amount of weight contained therein.
In light of the prior art and the disclosed elements of the present invention, it is submitted that the present invention substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art. Consequently it is clear that the present invention is not described by the prior art and that a need exists for an improved rotating rain gutter. In this regard, the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.